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Marijuana Vs. Tobacco: The Great Debate On Which Substance Is Worse

When it comes to the debate over marijuana vs. tobacco, pot smokers seem all too quick to assert their stance on marijuana supposedly being safer in comparison to tobacco cigarettes. While lack of excessive research has been done on specific effects due to the prohibition of marijuana in recent history, diverse groups of people tend to believe theories rather than actual facts.

Marijuana vs. Tobacco

While both marijuana and tobacco cater to users for reasons that commonly include the enabling of social situations and personal stress reduction, the substances themselves produce different literal effects. But does this mean that one is particularly more hazardous than the other? Because extensive studies on tobacco have occurred more frequently within most recent years, there is far more knowledge of the dangers that it brings when smoked. In opposition, marijuana has not had nearly a comparable amount of studying done on it due to having been outlawed for years until its recent decriminalization and legalization in certain states within the country.

Effects of Tobacco

Despite being preventable, the leading cause of death in America is due to tobacco, fact. Out of the multiple thousands of chemicals contained in tobacco cigarettes, hundreds are unquestionably said to pose a serious threat to the body. 1,3-Butadiene is one of these that are found in tobacco cigarettes. 1,3-Butadiene also happens to play a crucial role in the making of rubber. When you think about smoking something that is also used to construct rubber, it shouldn’t come as a major surprise that such a chemical is indeed known for inducing cancer. Other cancer-causing agents directly within tobacco include a gas specifically involved with lung cancer called acrolein, a metal called cadmium, and polonium-210, which is defined in the dictionary as “a very rare radioactive metallic element” that can kill. If that’s not enough to demonstrate how extreme tobacco cigarettes are in toxicity, keep in mind that they also contain trace amounts of chromium, tar, formaldehyde, and arsenic. Of course there is a more widely known component associated with tobacco – nicotine. Even when tobacco is taken in a nonsmoking way, the person can become hooked on the nicotine because it is extremely addictive. Cravings for nicotine have been compared to that of heroin, cocaine, and alcohol. Along with this, a lack of nicotine is also known to cause uncomfortable withdrawals. Even with these specific not-so-secret ingredients involved in the production of tobacco cigarettes aside, it’s not as though it is hidden knowledge that smoking tobacco cigarettes leads to cancers, heart problems, thyroid issues, strokes, lung problems, and other diseases like diabetes. But what are some of the minimal known facts regarding the smoking of marijuana vs. tobacco?

Effects of Marijuana

Marijuana does in fact contain agents primarily related to causing cancer. Every smoker’s lungs accumulate a collection of tar when they smoke marijuana, just as they do with tobacco. If there is the same amount of the two and they are smoked with one another, marijuana actually brings more tar to the lungs – four times more, to be exact. In regards to marijuana vs. tobacco, it should also be taken into account that pot smokers inhale much deeper than that of which a tobacco smoker would, causing more potential damage to the lungs. The drug can also increase your heart rate and keep it there for several hours. Research has actually shown that this brings greater probability of a heart attack after smoking it, especially if the smoker already faces heart problems. In more recent findings, the use of marijuana is claimed to have a relation to schizophrenia and other mental health diseases. It also should not be left out that one of the most frequently misconstrued facts about marijuana is that it is an addictive drug.

So when it comes to marijuana vs. tobacco, which is worse? The truth is that it doesn’t really matter because neither is healthy for your body. When it comes to the debate over marijuana vs. tobacco, both substances have negative effects. Think about it: does inhaling smoke from anything sound safe?